


Trickster

by Irisen



Series: Crossovers [1]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018), Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 5: The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson), Canon Temporary Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Crack Treated Seriously, Crossover, Death, Dimension Travel, Gen, Mash-up, Maybe - Freeform, OP Character, OP Zagreus, Other Character Tags to be Added - Freeform, Other Relationships Tags to Be Added - Freeform, Other tags to be added, Pre-The Heroes of Olympus, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, ooc chaos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:00:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27516502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irisen/pseuds/Irisen
Summary: Chaos is a trickster, not a deceiver.Zagreus, desperate and having recently died at the hands of his own Lord Father, accepts a Curse he should not have so he can finally reach the much desired mortal Earth.He does reach Earth and he does meet mortals. They are not, however, necessarily the Earth and the mortals he was hoping for.
Relationships: Chaos & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Hades & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Varatha & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Zagreus & Hades (Percy Jackson), Zagreus & The Olympians (Hades Video Game), Zagreus & The Olympians (Percy Jackson), Zagreus & Zeus (Percy Jackson), Zagreus/Bad Ideas and Life choices
Series: Crossovers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2011108
Comments: 35
Kudos: 236





	Trickster

There is a well of anger at the bottom of his stomach, a burning pool of lava, waves of fury under his skin. He almost had it. He almost had him.

In his hand, the Stygian Blade shimmers, thirsty for more battles, for more sacrifices. He ignores it with ease, crushing the feeble power of the barely awakened weapon with a wave of his hand. Perfectly trained to obey the whims of its master, the weapon ceases its pleading. It is a good tool, easily mastered and wielded and yet.

Yet it failed him in the end.

Was it due to the simple limitations of the blade or to his own fault that he faltered? Misfortune or incompetence? He wishes he had an answer, wishes he didn't even have to ask himself that question. Failure does not usually bother him but to fall at the hands of his own father, so close to his goal, to die, to-

The fire of his rage burns through his mind and pushes him away from his chambers. He hates him. Always in his way, always trying to stop him, to slow him down. All along, he was the only one standing in his way, without him, Meg and the others wouldn't even have had to stand between him and the surface. His Lord Father, his one and true enemy. Is this why the Olympians had casted him aside, deep into the underground? For his selfishness and folly? For his desire to control the ones around him, just like he now tries to control his son? The qualities of a good ruler of the underworld do not make a good family member or a kind parent.

No, the blade will not do.

"I apologize, my Lord Uncle," mutters Zagreus, not feeling any regret in his undying soul, "This endeavor requires a more specific kind of weaponry."

There is only one Arm that will allow him to properly let out the burning anger in his heart. Only one that can express the hate he feels towards his own father and his meddling into lives that arent his to toy with.

"Varatha," he calls, "come to me."

Happily summoned, his father's own old weapon settles in his hands like an old friend reuniting with a long lost mate. He bristles at the feelings of familiarity brought on by the spear's spirit. He has never used it before, not wanting to taint his hands with an object that formerly belonged to the God of the dead but now, he sees it as an obvious conclusion to the path that has brought him there. His godly father has tried to control him all his existence, even hiding from him the truth of his origins and now resorting to violence as a way to further keep him caged. He will not tolerate this any longer.

Plunging the Eternal Spear in the heart of its former wielder is his chosen way of ending the cycle. He won't be stopped this time. He won't let himself be stopped.

Zagreus turns towards the entrance of Tartarus, Varatha firmly in his grasp. Like an extension of his own body, the weapon's energy shifts and shapes itself around him, pushing him towards his inevitable goal, his next escape attempt.

As he lands on the dirty, dilapidated stones of the evershifting hellscape of Tartarus, he feels all the weight of his immortal, yet young body. He is but a godling, as his extended family calls him and, in his past attempt, he had grown to rely on the everexpanding list of Boons granted by the Olympians. None of them have survived his last death. No longer does he summon lightning every step he takes, nor can he still shield himself from all danger, calling on the power of the goddess Athena. Now, all he has are the yet unawakened power of Varatha, his Dash and his Cast. The collar of his dearest and oldest friend, Cerberus, not the most powerful of his keepsakes but the one he treasures the most, shields him somewhat but still, he feels exposed.

He has grown to rely too much on the power of his uncles, aunts and cousins, he realizes.

But then, without them, how can a mere godling stand up and defeat a fully accomplished god, ruler of the underworld at that? No matter how hurtful it his to his ego, he has to grit his teeth and accept the Boons, without the Olympians, his own strength is not enough to defeat Thanatos, let alone Hades himself.

But one day...

The first Boon he encounters isn't one. Instead of the glowing, bright mark of a message from Olympus, Zagreus sees, almost hidden among the broken stones, a large, unblinking eye, painted on the floor. Standing on it, he knows it, will open a passageway directly to the deepest parts of this world, further down, past Hades' influence and into Chaos' realm. The first being to ever exist.

His Curses are always incredibly annoying to deal with but Zagreus can never ignore them, which has costed him quite a few deaths in the past. He rises eagerly to any challenges, perhaps it is why he is so set on escaping his Lord Father's grasp. Precisely because he has always been told it was an impossible feat to accomplish. Nobody tells the prince of the underworld what he can and cannot do. 

"Let's go." He calls, letting the darkness of the portal engulf him, draining away precious bits of his life energy, so early into his escap attempt, to draw him deeper into the earth. He drifts into the void, behind the veil of hell to plunge straight into the dark oblivion the prime being resides in. He lands there a little shakily, Varatha uneasy in his mind, the two of them strangers in this land forgotten by time, hidden from the divine.

Gods are not at their place here, and neither are godlings.

 **"Son of Hades,"** a voice calls, the silent shrill of the abyss peaking out from behind the darkness. **"You are visiting me again. Rejoice, child, for I have chosen to grant you the dearest of your wishes and you must only swear to pay its price."**

Neither a god nor a Titan, being of impossibilities, Chaos stares at him from the dark clouds of the void, empty, vacant eyes rolling in his direction from all over their bodies. He wants to shiver but crushes the urge. It is not the first time he has dealt with the being. He knows how to be respectful enough not to be me smited or erased from reality on sight. Quietly, he bows his head, knowing that silence is always preferred in front of the omnipotent creature.

"Master Chaos," he answers, "I am willing to bear your Curse, as long as it lends me the power I need to pursue my quest."

**"No need to question the reach of my power, godling, for it is what your heart most desires. I offer you the opportunity to set foot on mortal ground, away from the deep, as you so passionately desire. To give you this possibility, however, I require of you one thing."**

All of Chaos' many eyes turn to stare at Zagreus, digging deep into his soul and his consciousness, too powerful to resist. He knows better to try and offer any resistance to the first of all beings, anyways, so he endures the terrifying gaze with a steady stance, Varatha writhing in his mind, pleading him to stop, to leave this cursed place, to go back to Hell, back to home.

His father, harsh and severe as he is, probably never brought the Eternal Spear into such cursed lands, Zagreus doesnt know if he feels proud or bitter. Are his decisions bravery ore simple foolishness?

Chaos speaks again, their voice silent yet loud enough for the godling to hear it throughout his soul. The shivers he has tried to hold in ever since he landed in this place break out of his grasp and he has to grit his teeth not to whimper. How chilling.

**"What I want from you, Son of Hades, is the only thing a godling such as you can bring me. I want you to entertain me. Bring me enjoyment. Bring me novelty."**

The darkness seems to shift again, this time pressing itself closer around his body, against his back and his legs. He knows he is trapped here, even if he wants to leave, he can't turn and face the void without risking his soul. He has to face his choices, as he has always done.

 **"Watching you face my challenges has bored me,"** Chaos whispers _into his soul_ , **"It has grown stale, repetitive, just like your weak, flickering lives."**

The fog of the abyss grows darker yet, bearing down on his shoulders and digging into his skin. Zagreus can feel the sheer power in it, something deeper, purer than anything he has ever faced in his immortal life. He knows, deep down, that Meg, Achilles and everyone back at home would be appalled to know the situation he has put himself in. Even Nyx seems to disapprove of his involvement with the creature. But then...

Then...

What do they know really?

Even Achilles and Nyx, despite trying to help, do not understand the true desperation behind his attempts, the need he has to keep pushing, keep trying to reach the exit, reach the surface. Olympians, Titans, Deceased or Chaos themselves, it did not matter to him. He had one goal and...

As Meg had said, Chaos is a trickster, not a deceiver.

"Master Chaos," he answers, crushing any trace of shakiness in his voice, "If i were to accept your offer and your Curse, I will be able to walk upon mortal land and meet my mother, as I understand."

 **"You will meet Persephone."** Chaos answers, their eyes still staring into Zagreus' heart.

The being extends one of their hands, a purple, glowing orb floating against its palm, a large eye marking it as a Curse, as a potential Boon. A deal with a being older than time, older than death itself.

Zagreus doesn't hesitate.

 _Father_ , he thinks, _You won't be able to stop me this time_.

He reaches out and touches the orb, thus sealing the pact and his fate.

Already, he can feel it take hold. Usually, the Curses set deep within his bones, limiting his abilities or his godgiven powers to later turn into a source of incredible strenght. There has never been a Boon without suffering first, when it comes to Chaos and Zagreus is fully expecting this one to behave like all the previous ones, cutting off one or more of his strength or, sometimes, hurting him whenever he moved in a way that Chaos had deemed forbidden.

Except, this time, it doesn't.

This time, he feels it bloom not within his body but deep within his soul and, instead of stopping at his bones or nerves, it reaches inside, into his brain and his godly essence, like a dark spot slowly engulfing it all, taking it all in, draining all the energy and power from it.

Very suddenly, he realizes he's going to die.

Again.

He tries to speak out, reach for Varatha, call for an Olympian, even escape but the abyss bears down on him with such a strength that he can do nothing but collapse to the ground. His energy drains away from him as he watches Chaos silently step on the stone platform he is laying on. They walk forward, mist wrapping itself around their body and inside their skull. They look at him with their _many, many_ eyes and, slowly, reach down.

Cold, grey fingers brush against Zagreus forehead, the power contained in them too much for his own puny godling body. It burns his being and he tries to cringe away but his weakness is so great by now that he can't even twitch to escape it.

**"Son of Hades, my Eyes shall be set on you until you have accomplished the task I have given you."**

Zagreus feels himself fading, slipping back into death with a slow inevatibility, unable to stop his life from draining out of him, he can only stare at the emotionless face of his murderer as he drifts away, back to the familiar, dull emptiness of death.

**"Entertain me, godling, and you shall next wake up on the mortal Earth, with no enemy from Hell to stand and face you."**

Then, Zagreus dies once again.


End file.
